IIB 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4003 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 22 (legislative day, March 19), 2010 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources AN ACT To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate resources in the Hudson River Valley in the State of New York to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing the site as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Hudson River Valley Special Resource Study Act.

2.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior. (2)

Study area

The term study area— (A)means the portion of the Hudson River that flows from Rodgers Island at Fort Edward to the southern-most boundary of Westchester County, New York; and (B)includes any relevant sites and landscapes within the counties in New York that abut the area described in subparagraph (A).

3.

Authorization of study

(a)

In general

As soon as funds are made available for this purpose, the Secretary shall complete a special resource study of the Hudson River Valley in the State of New York to evaluate— (1)the national significance of the area; and (2)the suitability and feasibility of designating the area as a unit of the National Park System. (b)

Study guidelines

In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1)use the criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion in the National Park System in accordance with section 8(c) of Public Law 91–383 (16 U.S.C. 1a–5(c)); (2)determine the effect of the designation of the area as a unit of the National Park System on existing commercial and recreational activities, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational shooting, motor boat use, off-highway vehicle use, snowmobile use, and on the authorization, construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of energy production and transmission infrastructure, and the effect on the authority of State and local governments to manage those activities; (3)identify any authorities that will compel or permit the Secretary to influence local land use decisions (such as zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal land if the area is designated a unit of the National Park System; and (4)closely examine park unit models, in particular national river and recreation areas, as well as other landscape protection models, that— (A)encompass large areas of non-Federal lands within their designated boundaries; (B)foster public and private collaborative arrangements for achieving National Park Service objectives; and (C)protect and respect the rights of private land owners.

4.

Report

Not later than 36 months after the date that funds are first made available for this purpose, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study authorized by this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives March 19, 2010. Lorraine C. Miller, Clerk.